Method of making knitted garments



Nov. 29, 1966 J. H. LANDAU 3,287,937

METHOD OF MAKING KNITTED GARMENTS Original Filed Dec. 12, 1961 5Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JAMES H. LANDAU BY M ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1966 J.H. LANDAU 3,287,937

METHOD OF MAKING KNITTED GARMENTS Original Filed Dec. 12, 1961 5Sheets-Sheet 2 x am INV ENT OR JANE; H. LA/VDAU BY 5Z6 ATTORNEY? Nov.29, 1966 J. H. LANDAU METHOD OF MAKING KNITTED GARMENTS Original FiledDec. 12, 1961 5 Sheets-g 5 Flag Flag

RNEYs United States Patent M 2 Claims. (Cl. 66-171) This application isa division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 158,757, filedDecember 12, 1961,

for Knitted Garments and Method of Making Same.

This invention relates to knitted garments, and more particularly to amethod of making knitted garments such as are customarily worn on thehuman torso. The method disclosed in this application and the garmentscapable of being manufactured thereby are especially adaptable as ladiesbathing suits, brassieres, knitted vests, slips, lingerie, and otherforms of under garments, and outer garments such as sweaters, dresses,etc.

One of the features of this invention is that it permits the fabricationof full-fashioned knitted garments which are shaped to closely conformto the configuration of the female torso, without the use of unsightlyseams.

For a more complete undestanding of the invention, reference may be hadto the following description thereof, and to the drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a length of tubular knit material from whichthe front panel of a knitted bathing suit can be formed;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 2 -2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a length of tubular knit material which can beused to form the pack panel of a bathing suit;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the panel formed from the material of FIG. 1after it has been split, opened up, and turned over on the reverse side;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the panel formed from the material shown inFIG. 3, after it has been split, opened up and turned over on thereverse side;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a portion of the blank shown in FIG. 5, asviewed from the right-hand side;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a bathing suit formed by the joining of thepanels shown in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the same;

FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of the same;

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of a brassieretype garment formed inaccordance with the present invention, and;

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of a girdle-type of garment formedin accordance with the present invention.

In describing the fabrication of garments in accordance with the broadconcept of this invention, the method of making a ladies swimsuit, asshown in FIGS. 8 through 10, will first be described; it beingunderstood that this will be only exemplary of a method which can beused for making many other knitted garments.

As a preliminary step, two tubular lengths of material are knitted, oneof which, indicated generally by the .numeral 15, will become the frontpanel of a swimsuit,

the other of which, indicated generally by the numeral 16, will becomethe back panel.

The tubular lengths of material are preferably knitted on a conventionalV-bed fiat knitting machine with two adjacent rows of latch needleswhich are capable of being individually shifted into and out ofoperating position. Beginning at the lower margin 17, a predeter-3,287,937 Patented Nov. 29, 1966 mined number of needles are put inoperation in each row of the machine and a certain number of courses areknitted in succession using the same number of needles in each course toproduce a tube having straight margins extending to the point 18.However, during this operation and, in fact, during the knitting of theentire length of the material, one or more needles in the center of oneof the two rows may be left out of operation to provide a longitudinallyextending indication of the center line 19 of the material. However,this is not essential to the successful carrying out of the invention,but is a convenient method of providing a center for later splitting ofthe material.

Beginning at the line 18 and extending until the course indicated at 20is reached, a gradual narrowing of the fabric is performed by shiftingone or more of the yarns at each end of both row-s of needles inwardlyand removing the endmost needle at each of both rows out of operation.Depending upon the amount of taper that is to be given to the fabric,the removal of needles will take place in successive steps. That is tosay, a set of needles will be removed and several courses will beknitted on the remaining needles before another reduction in the numberof needles takes place.

Beginning at the course indicated at 20, a relatively short length ofthe tube will be knitted on the same number of needles until the courseindicated at 21 is reached to again provide a section of the tube havingstraight margins, but of somewhat less width than the portion knittedfirst at the beginning of the lower margin 17.

After the course 21 has been knitted, a needle at each end of both rowswill be added and one or more courses may be knitted with thisadditional number of needles; after which, an additional pair of needlesat each end of the row will be added and successive course or courseswill be knitted. This progressive increase in the number of walesproduced will be continued until the course indicated at 22 is reached.Since the portion of the garment knitted between the courses 21 and 22eventually forms the lower portion of the breast cup, the rate ofincrease will be greater than the rate of decrease between the courses18 and 20, which latter section will eventually cover the thighs.

The upper portion of the breast cups starts with the course indicated at22, from which point, pairs of needles at each end of the rows areprogressively removed at a relatively rapid rate until the courseindicated at 23 is reached. From this course, another short section,terminating at the upper margin 24 using the same number of needles toprovide another section having straight margins.

Before further operations on the length of material 15 is described, theprocedure for knitting; the tubular piece 16 will be dealt with. In thiscase, also, it is preferable to use a V-bed flat machine having twoadjacent rows of latch-type needles. Beginning wit-h the lower margin25, a series of courses, are knitted with the same number of needles upto the course indicated by numeral 26 to provide a length havingstraight margins. As with the case of the material 1 5, a singleneedleat the center of one of the rows is left out of operation to provide acenter line indication 27 extending longitudinally of the goods.

From the course 26 up to a point indicated by the course 28, needles areagain progressively dropped out of operation on the machine to graduallydecrease the width of the tube, this decrease being intended to conformto the proportions of the buttocks of the wearer.

Following the course 28 and extending up to the upper margin 29, thematerial is knit with the same number of needles to provide an uppersection having straight margins.

After knitting, each of the tubular lengths of material and 16 aresevered longitudinally along the respective lines 19 and 27 so that whenthey are opened up and spread out fiat. they will resemble the pieces ofmaterial shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 when turned over on their oppositesides. In FIG. 5, it will be noted that the two longitudinally extendingmargins A and B, created by cutting the material along the line 19, arenow disposed at opposite sides of the material and that the undulatorymargins C and D, which originally defined the edges of the tubularmaterial, are now displaced inwardly a distance approximately midwaybetween the center line of the front panel thus formed, and therespective side margins A and B. Similarly, it will be noted that'thelongitudinal margins A and B formed by slitting the tubular material 16along the line 27 have become the side margins of the back panel 16, asshown in FIG. 6. The irregularly extending sides C and D of the tubularmaterial in FIG.

3 have now been displaced inwardly when the back panel is opened up inFIG. 6, again a distance approximately mid-way between the verticalcenter line of the panel and the respective side margins A and B.

To finish the garment, the bottom of the front panel is doubled back onitself along the horizontal dotted line 3030 and sewed together a shortdistance above that line along the dotted line 3131, as shown in FIG. 8,to provide a short skirt portion 32 if desired. Other models or stylesmay be made with or without skirt eflfects. The lower corners of thepanel may be cut out along the curved dotted lines 3333 and 34-34 toprovide a front crotch portion 35. The upper end of the front panel mayalso be cut out along the dotted lines 36, 37, 38 and 39 to provide anattractive neck line and openings for the arms.

Prior to finishing the garment, the rear panel may be cut out along thedotted lines 4046 and 4141 to provide a rear crotch portion 42. Inaddition, the upper portion of the back panel may be cut out along thecurved dotted line 42-42 to provide a low back. The front and backpanels may now be sewed together along their side margins; the margin Aof the front panel being joined with the margin B of the back panel;while margin B of the front panel is joined with the margin A of theback panel. The depending ends of the crotch portions 35 and 42 arejoined together at the bottom of the garment, while the upper margins ofthe garment may be finished off with a decorative edging 43 which can belooped upwardly at the sides to form shoulder straps.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that if, instead of a lowback, a high-backed garment such as a sweater is to be made, this can beaccomplished. The material at the top of the back panel enclosed withinthe dotted line 4242 need not be cut out when the front and back panelsare joined together along their side seams. It will also be understoodby those skilled in the art that the length of the material knitted forthe front and back panels can be such that they may be joined togetherat the upper ends to form the sleeve opening and that sleeves, eitherknitted or otherwise, could be joined to the basic garment formed fromthe front and back panels to create a sweater or pullover.

In FIG. 11, there is shown a brassiere made in accordance with theteachings of this invention. In the form shown, it is only necessary toknit the upper portion of the tubular length of material shown inFIG. 1. In this case, the knitting would be commenced at approximatelythe course indicated at 21, or slightly below. The same procedure ofadding needles to increase the number of wales in successive courseswould be followed, as previously described to develop the lower half ofthe breast cups with subsequent progressive decreasing of the wales todevelop the upper half of the cups, ending the knitting approximately atthe course indicated at 23, or slightly above.

After the short length of tubular material thus knitted was split alongits back center line, as previously described in connection with theswimsuit, the resultant product when opened up would be the front halfpanel indicated at 45 in FIG. 11. The completed brassiere could then beformed by the addition of the adjustable back strap 46 being attached tothe front panel at the seams 47, and the addition of the shoulder straps48 joined to the upper margin of the front panel at the seams 49, andbeing sewed to the back strap at the seams 50.

The knitting of a girdle-type garment such as is shown in FIG. 12, wouldrequire the use of both front and back panels, but only a portion of thetubular materials 15 and 16 would be required. In the case of the frontpanel, the knitting would be begun approximately at the course indicatedat 18 in FIG. 1 with a progressive reduction of the number of needles,as previously explained, until approximately the course indicated at 20is reached. The resultant product when split down the center line andopened up would produce the front half panel, indicated by numeral 51.

To produce the rear portion of the garment, the knitting of the tubularelement would be approximately begun at the course indicated at 26 inFIG. 3 and knitting would be continued with a progressive decrease inthe number of needles up to approximately the course indicated atnumeral 28. When this tubular length of material is split, the resultingproduct when opened out would be the back half panel indicated bynumeral 52. The front half panel 51 and the back half panel 52 wouldthen be joined along their side margins as indicated by the seams 53,only one of which can be seen in FIG. 12.

The same technique can be used by starting the knitting at the top, FIG.1, and by adding and eliminating needles after proper courses. The samebody can be formed by the reversing of the sequence in knitting. Thisapplies to the back panel, FIG. 3, as well.

Dilferent cup shapes and cup sizes may be obtained by increased numbersof wales or modified frequencies of narrowing and widenin-gs by additionand elimination of needles and frequencies of courses between theseadditions and eliminations.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a novel methodof forming knitted garments capable of close configuration with thecontours of the human body,

without the necessity of using seams located in unsightly positions. Itwill also be understood that while several variations in the type ofgarments have been described, many variations of these basic types maybe developed by those skilled in the art which would come within thescope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making a knitted garment to be worn on the human torsowhich comprises the steps of knitting two first and second tubularlengths of material having courses of predetermined length to conform tothe peripheral dimensions of first and second oppositely disposedportions of the human torso, the number of wales in certain successivecourses of each tube being either progressively increased orprogressively decreased, said increases or decreases being made only bythe addition or subtraction of an equal number of wales disposed oneither side of two diametrically opposite longitudinally extendinglines, severing each of said tubes along a longitudinal line disposedequidistant from said first mentioned two longitudinal lines to providefirst and second half panels of material each having awo side margins,and joining the respective side margins of the first half panel with therespective side margins of the second half panel.

2. The method :ofmaking a knitted torso-encircling garment whichincludes the steps of knitting a tubular length of material havingcourses of predetermined length to conform to the peripheral dimensionsof a portion of the human torso, certain successive courses containingprogressively [fewer wales, certain successive courses havingprogressively more wales, said wales being decreased or increased onlyin two spaced areas of symmetrical configuration disposed diametricallyopposite to each other along the length of the material, severing thetubular material along a longitudinal line disposed medially of said twosymmetrical areas to provide a halfpanel having two side margins, andjoining said margins with the side margins of another piece of material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Sanders 66-176Gordon 66-176 X Gordon 66-176 Crawford et a1. 66-176 Rice et a1. 66-177MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING A KNITTED GARMENT TO BE WORN ON THE HUMAN TORSOWHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF KNITTING TWO FIRST AND SECOND TUBULARLENGTHS OF MATERIAL HAVING COURSES OF PRODERTERMINED LENGTH TO CONFORMTO THE PERIPHERAL DIMENSIONS OF FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITELY DISPOSEDPORTIONS OF THE HUMAN TORSO, THE NUMBER OF WALES IN CERTAIN SUCCESSIVECOURSES OF EACH TUBE BEING EITHER PROGRESSIVELY INCREASED ORPROGRESSIVELY DECREASED, SAID INCREASES OF DECREASES BEING MADE ONLY BYTHE ADDITION OR SUBTRACTION OF AN EQUAL NUMBER OF WALES DISPOSED ONEITHER SIDE OF TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDINGLINES, SEVERING EACH OF SAID TUBES ALONG A LONGITUDINAL LINE DISPOSEDEQUIDISTANT FROM SAID FIRST MENTIONED TWO LONGITUDINAL LINES TO PROVIDEFIRST AND SECOND HALF PANELS OF MATERIAL EACH HAVING AWO SIDE MARGINS,AND JOINING THE RESPECTIVE SIDE MARGINS OF THE FIRST HALD PANEL WITH THERESPECTIVE SIDE MARGINS OF THE SECOND HALF PANEL.